Press Digest: Russians now making parmesan and jamon in their own homes

Sept 17 2015

Anna Sorokina

RBTH

Growing numbers of Russians are attempting to make banned Western food products such as Spanish jamon at home. Source: Lori / Legion Media

Lori/Legion Media

RBTH presents a selection of views from leading Russian media on international events, featuring a report on Russians attempting to make banned Western food products in their own kitchens, as well as news of a lawsuit against Google in Russia for “reading correspondence” and an interview with former Polish President Lech Walesa about the possibilities for reconciliation between Russia and Europe.

Russians take up ‘domestic’ import
substitution

The centrist broadsheet Izvestiya reports that thousands of Russian
residents, after seeing that blacklisted products had disappeared from the
stores, have started preparing them at home.

The number of queries submitted to
the Yandex search engine about how to make parmesan, mozzarella and jamon in
your kitchen have increased by 3-5 times. The Yandex press office also says
that there has been an increased interest in making food at home in general.
People have started searching online for ways to make bread, ketchup, salami,
pizza and zucchini and eggplant caviar.

Director of the Executive Committee
of the National Meat Association Sergei Yushin said that Russians' increased
interest towards cooking and more so towards substituting import within the
confines of one's kitchen is related to Moscow’s embargo on Western food
imports and the economic situation.

"The prices in the stores are
very 'biting.',” he said. “Since last year prices on meat have gone up by 13
percent, on dairy products by more than 15 percent and on grocery products by
more than 20 percent. Far from everyone can afford to treat himself to these
dainties."

Russian sues Google
for reading his letters and wins

The RBK business newspaper reports that the Moscow
City Court has satisfied a claim against Google's Russian representative. The
corporation has been found guilty of reading private correspondence and is
obliged to pay Russian citizen Anton Burkov 50,000 rubles ($760).

Director of the Faculty of European
Law at the Yekaterinburg Humanitarian University Anton Burkov filed a lawsuit
against the company in November 2014. He had stated that Google reads his
correspondence on the Gmail server and thus violates his right to privacy and
private correspondence. Burkov argued that the contextual advertising that had
appeared on Gmail corresponded in content to the subject matters of his
letters.

In the beginning of 2015 he said that
he had intended to travel on business to the European Human Rights Court and
corresponded about this trip with his friends.

"I was immediately offered
advertising on hotels in Strasbourg and visas. Then I understood that it was
not just a coincidence and that my mail was being read," he explained.

Nevertheless, according to Google
Russia representative Svetlana Anurova, not a single person reads the emails.

"Our automated systems scan the
mail in order to prevent spam and identify harmful programs. Such systems are
also used for showing relevant advertisement," Anurova said, commenting on
the Moscow City Court's decision.

Former Polish leader
ready to mediate between Russia and Europe

The Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper cites former
Polish President Lech Walesa as saying that compromise between Russia and
Europe will be possible only when the former readies itself for dialogue and
the latter starts taking Russia's interests into consideration. Walesa also
told the newspaper what should be done with Ukraine and Crimea, what democracy
is made of and how useful are sanctions.

"I want to ask President Putin
for a meeting and speak. I don't intend to change his convictions, just present
arguments that will help see the problem in a different light," said
Walesa.

"We need Russia. Without Russia
we cannot take one step, in Europe or anywhere in the world. Let Russia have
its interests, but things have to be done in a different way, through the
intellect, not with tanks and occupying territory. Only then will everyone come
to Russia on their knees, Crimea included."

Walesa said that Russia needs “to take
an example from Europe,” adding that “despite the sea of spilt blood, we are
liquidating borders and levelling living standards. And Russia must do the same
on its territory.”

When speaking about sanctions, Walesa
remarked that this issue "needs flexibility." "Today it is
necessary to understand which sanctions are effective and are capable of
returning Russia to European standards. Poland, Europe, the whole world needs
Russia. But the Russia that acts in a generally accepted manner," he said.